"For the first time since 1963, parts of the River Thames were frozen over as witnesses spotted seagulls perching on the icy surface in Teddington.
The River Great Ouse in Cambridgeshire was also frozen over leaving boats stuck.
It comes as temperatures dropped to below 0C in parts of England.
In Ravensworth, North Yorkshire, temperatures plummeted to -15.3C last night as the UK braced for up to four inches of snow and 50mph gales today.
... The freezing weather comes as 15 weather stations in Britain recorded their lowest temperature ever for February overnight on Wednesday.
While Scotland recorded its coldest February night since 1955.
Oli Claydon, a spokesperson for the Met Office, said: "Usually you'd expect records to be broken by point such-and-such of a degree but here we are looking at big differences."